A York financial adviser "exploited the trust and generosity" of a vulnerable rich elderly man by stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from him, a court heard.

Former company director Edward Hickson regarded his long-time money adviser Peter Barlow, aged 57, as his "nearest friend" and trusted him implicitly, Andrew Dallas, prosecuting, alleged at Leeds Crown Court.

While the former major shareholder in Hazelwood Foods plc was coping with a marriage breakdown, and his health was deteriorating, Barlow was cashing in nearly half-a-million pounds worth of the elderly man's life insurance policies, and using more than half of that money for himself and his family.

Barlow also stole money from a trust set up for Mr Hickson's girlfriend, concert pianist Annette Servedea.

Mr Dallas also alleged that Barlow stole the value of 60,000 of Mr Hickson's shares, which he sold for nearly £100,000, and claimed they were to finance a housing development in Copmanthorpe.

Barlow, of Willow House, Copmanthorpe, denies 11 charges of theft, eight of which concern a trust set up for a farming family unrelated to Mr Hickson.

Mr Dallas alleged that Mr Hickson was unaware of Barlow's activities until 1994.

The Royal Bank of Scotland then warned the retired businessman they were considering selling 80,000 of his shares which he had put up for security against a mortgage to buy a property involved in the housing development.

But Barlow was not keeping up the mortgage repayments, and his debt now stood at £100,000.

Eventually, Mr Hickson, alerted by this letter, called in the police.

Mr Dallas alleged that Barlow had given Mr Hickson financial advice since the late 1970s, until Mr Hickson trusted him so much he was prepared to sign blank documents enabling Barlow to move his funds about as Barlow wanted.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mr Hickson was particularly vulnerable because his marriage was breaking down, and he had formed a strong relationship with another woman.

After 1986, he was also receiving psychiatric treatment and counselling.

Mr Hickson, who is expected to give evidence, is now 72.

"The Crown say the defendant realised that Mr Hickson had become so dependent on him he was able to turn that trust and dependency to his great personal financial advantage," claimed Mr Dallas.

Mr Dallas added that Mr Hickson described Barlow as his "closest friend".

He described how Barlow set up a joint account to receive funds from the life insurance policies. But although the money was in trust for Mr Hickson's children, Barlow used most of it for himself.

He was later to tell police that the agreement between the two was that the money was to be split on a ratio of two parts to Mr Hickson, and one to him.

But of the withdrawals on the account, 14 were for Mr Hickson, and 77, amounting to nearly £300,000, were for Barlow.

Mr Dallas claimed that the money was spent on Barlow, his wife and children, private schools and a four-bedroom detached house at Copmanthorpe.

Barlow also persuaded a joint trustee of a trust set up for Ms Servedea to hand over £5,000 from the fund, claiming it was for Mr Hickson's use.

Instead, he used it himself.

Mr Dallas also claimed that Barlow had plans to build three and four-bedroom houses on land between Flaxman Croft, Copmanthorpe and Tadcaster Road, Copmanthorpe at a density of ten houses per acre.

He, however, did not pay an architect's bill or money due to a project manager for the development, but persuaded Mr Hickson to hand over 60,000 shares to finance it.

The hearing continues

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